Climate change is a threat to peace and security – German foreign minister

Clean Energy Wire

Germany’s foreign minister Heiko Maas urged the United Nations at Friday’s open debate of the UN Security Council to take the link between climate and security into account in all conflict situations. He listed the disasters and damages that global warming already triggers in many parts of the world, speaking at the start of the country’s two-year term as non-permanent member in the Security Council. Maas suggested a focus on systematic reporting of security-related impacts of climate change, sound risk analysis and forecasts with clear recommendations and the translation of knowledge on the climate crisis into tangible policy. Together with a Group of Friends on Climate and Security, including the small island state of Nauru, Germany will table a proposal for the Security Council and the Secretariat on how to improve the UN’s response to climate change.

Germany will hold a high-level Conference on Climate and Security in Berlin on 4 June 2019, Maas announced.